My BP is afraid of her F/T food?

[Ax01]

ok i know u probably don't want to hear this but u need to. i know u put alotta effort into building your BP's enclosure (https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...bitat-thoughts) but the feeding issue is probably enclosure/husbandry related. esp. when u say that she is always in her cool hide. if u are open to the idea of offering an ASF, don't do that yet. first follow this guide (https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...-hatchling-101) and offer a (live) mouse like a hopper.


Edit: also i know its hard to resist - but u gotta be hands off your cute new little BP until eat alot more consistently.

[Jellybeans]

I know all this has got really suck cuz all you want her to do is just eat.

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[Zincubus]

There's loads of good advice above ....

My way never fails for me ... if it's gonna eat . Some will fast , I had one who didn't eat for 9 months !

It's a real good sign that yours shows interest in the food !!

I let the mice /rats thaw in the snake room ..

I then feed in the evening , dim lighting , wait until it's well settled under a hide .

I have the viv door open then get the rat in the tongs and blast with a hairdryer for ten seconds then INSTANTLY dangle the mouse in front of the hide entrance .. they usually take it first time but if not simply give it another hot blast and hang it on front of the entrance again .. if there is so much as a tongue flick I just continue until they grab it .

If it shows ZERO interest then I leave for a week .


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[AbsoluteApril]

Mouse hoppers, it's what she was feeding on before and I've found most picky babies will take a mouse hopper (f/t) over anything else. Got one - small adult mouse? nope. Mouse hopper - okay! After a short while they will usually start taking lrager prey or can be switched to rats.
Good luck!

[Jellybeans]

Yeah if I were you I would try something smaller than you would normally feed for a girl her size like a hopper

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[Shadowy]

So after another failed attempt at feeding I’ve upped the temp in her terrarium. Ambient is now at 81 and hot spot is at 92 with UTH and ceramic lamp. I’m happy to say she is now loving a hide on the hot side and has been hiding in there for a couple days now.

Also today when I was picking up a fallen plant outside her hide she actually striked at me! She’s never done that before so I think I startled her and she thought I was food. I’m excited to offer her food again, I have a good feeling she’s going to take it.

[Ax01]

So after another failed attempt at feeding I’ve upped the temp in her terrarium. Ambient is now at 81 and hot spot is at 92 with UTH and ceramic lamp. I’m happy to say she is now loving a hide on the hot side and has been hiding in there for a couple days now.

Also today when I was picking up a fallen plant outside her hide she actually striked at me! She’s never done that before so I think I startled her and she thought I was food. I’m excited to offer her food again, I have a good feeling she’s going to take it.

glad to hear that your temps are better. what did u try to feed her this last time? also that sounds more like a defensive strike b/c u startled her instead of a hunger strike. but i do hope she eats for u. remember there's alotta good How To's here including troubleshooting hatchling/juvenvile eaters: https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...ips-and-Tricks good luck and keep us posted.

[Jellybeans]

How long now since she last ate?

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[Shadowy]

SHE FED TONIGHT! I was getting so worried, she has lost a bit of weight. I’ve come to the conclusion the problem was probably a mix of the temperature, and also not feeding in a dark enough room. I’ve always offered in dim light, but the last couple times she been in pitch black darkness (making it hard for me to even see her, or know if she takes the food when she strikes lol). She’s been striking each time, but missing then getting frustrated and giving up. She’s obviously still very much afraid of me and her not being able to see me I think contributed to her successfully eating tonight, pitch black room and I barely pulled away the blanket enough to open the door. She striked almost immediately, missed, striked again and took it! So relieved.

[Zincubus]

SHE FED TONIGHT! I was getting so worried, she has lost a bit of weight. I’ve come to the conclusion the problem was probably a mix of the temperature, and also not feeding in a dark enough room. I’ve always offered in dim light, but the last couple times she been in pitch black darkness (making it hard for me to even see her, or know if she takes the food when she strikes lol). She’s been striking each time, but missing then getting frustrated and giving up. She’s obviously still very much afraid of me and her not being able to see me I think contributed to her successfully eating tonight, pitch black room and I barely pulled away the blanket enough to open the door. She striked almost immediately, missed, striked again and took it! So relieved.

Great !

A dark room ( I hold a little torch in my mouth lol ) and a ten second blast with a hairdryer and don’t blink


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